


in your arms i'm defined

by allisonlydia



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, carmilla/danny if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-21
Updated: 2014-10-21
Packaged: 2018-02-22 01:36:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2489642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allisonlydia/pseuds/allisonlydia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A conversation that has been long overdue in Danny's eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	in your arms i'm defined

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from 'Juneau' by Funeral For A Friend.

Danny was sitting in her room contemplating whether to write about 'King Lear' and 'Oedipus Rex' or 'The Tempest' and 'Doctor Faustus' in her Greek Tragedy comparative essay. She hit the side of her shoe against the leg of her desk in time to the rhythm she was tapping out with the biro in her hand. Danny had the words ‘imagery’, ‘motifs’ and ‘themes’ as column headings written down in her notebook and the rest of it was blank, save for a few scribbled drawings that _shouldn’t even be there_ —Danny hit her pen particularly hard against the desk in time with these thoughts—which ran down the sides of the page because she couldn’t concentrate on one single damn thing.

She sighed, running a hand through her hair as she dropped the biro onto the page. She studied all the sketches of Laura’s profile that were drawn down the column of the page, the image obviously seared onto the back of her eyelids due the amount of times Danny had—quite successfully, she might add—depicted the delicate slope of Laura’s nose against her sharp cheekbone. She shook her head. Smitten really wasn’t something she wanted to be feeling when she needed to actually complete her degree with half decent grades.

Danny felt ridiculous and childish, like a dog chasing its own tail.

Feeling completely and utterly out of her depth was something Danny truly disliked. It didn't happen often and she prided herself on the quiet confidence she has built within herself over the years because of that. Not that she was deathly competitive or anything, she just liked to know she was capable of doing something and fairly competent at doing it. Hockey, archery, theatre and other things like growing her auburn hair out until it fell in healthy, full waves around her face were all pieces of the puzzle that fit together to make her the person she was today. Being the lanky, dorky, ginger kid hadn’t made her the most popular at school, so at Silas she was determined to make her life her own. She hadn’t meant for it all to go out of the window when she met Laura. And that _thing_.

 _Right, right, Laura._ She was the good thing amongst all of this crap. Sweet, caring, beautiful Laura. Did Danny mention dorky? Because Laura had made Danny squeeze into her tiny little bed with her and of course, the only way physically possible for them to fit was for Laura to lie between Danny’s thighs. Danny definitely _was not_ complaining. Laura made her watch all of the Doctor Who episodes with David Tennant in them. Every single one. She wasn't allowed to leave Laura's room, not even for chicken salad. But hey, that Martha girl was _hot_ and Danny could feel every movement of Laura’s against her front and how Laura rested her hand so close to Danny’s that their pinky fingers brushed against each other’s every three seconds. She was rambling, but still, pretty cool, right?

Carmilla had scoffed at the show and them both, nose buried in another book. It was some kind of gothic literature as usual. She was her charming broody self, sweeping out of the room with an “I’ll be back tomorrow,” to Laura. Laura had moved to get up to wish her goodbye, but Count Freakula had already left, much to Danny’s delight. Laura looked concerned, mouth turned down into a frown at her roommate’s absence and boy did Danny need to distract her. Knock some sense into her after their deductions of Carmilla being a blood sucking vampire. Laura does not need to get emotionally attached to her. 

So, having made the decision that six hours was enough time to worry about Laura’s safety when she could be out there, actively doing something about it, Danny walked over to her dorm. She didn’t bother to knock because when had she ever bothered? The scene she walked in on was... Well, safe to say Danny was _livid_. She was torn between ripping Carmilla’s throat out first before she interrogated Laura. Laura was splayed out across the length of Carmilla’s bed, grimacing in pain, touching her neck gingerly. Danny wanted nothing more than to eradicate whatever had hurt her. Carmilla was bent over Laura’s desk, working on something, smoke overwhelmed Danny's vision somewhat.

“Laura, what…” she managed to mumble out as she stood in the doorway. Danny just kept staring and staring until she came to a conclusion. She laughed bitterly. “Carmilla, of course.” Danny said monotonously.

A perfectly shaped eyebrow arched high across porcelain skin. “What’s the matter, Amazon? Are you going to threaten to stake me? If only Buffy was around to help you out,” Carmilla managed to sound seductive and charming whilst being utterly snarky, hands tinkering with whatever her latest concoction was.

Danny gritted her teeth and strode into the room, staring Laura down. Laura hunched her shoulders and folded in on herself like a wilted flower, a chastised child. “Laura, you’re going to come with me. Right. Now.”

Carmilla laughed dryly, but chose to keep her comment to herself for once, which Danny was grateful for. While Laura was slipping some converse on, she paced over to Carmilla, looming over her. The vampire didn’t even turn around to face her. Danny leaned in close, growling lowly in her ear, “Don’t think I’m done with you yet either, I’m just giving Laura the opportunity to beg for your life.”

Carmilla smirked and turned so that she was facing Danny, eyes scanning her from head to toe. “Looking forward to it, gingersnap.” Her tone was almost flirtatious and it made Danny’s stomach churn with anger and something else which she didn’t have the chance to think about because Laura’s fingers had closed around Danny’s wrist and were tug, tug tugging her.

They made their way through the twisting corridors, moonlight highlighting the edges of display cupboards and doorways, the shadows reaching out towards them. Danny oppressed a shudder at the thought. The silence was deafening. Danny shoved her fists in her pockets to keep herself from touching the mark on Laura’s neck and from running her fingertips along her jawline like she had ached to for weeks now. 

She was so caught up in restraining herself that she had failed to notice that Laura was falling behind, struggling to keep up with Danny’s long strides. 

“Uh, Danny? What...” Laura’s voice trembled, squeaking in her nervousness.

Danny sighed, slowing. She ran a hand through her long copper waves, most likely making herself look even more dishevelled. She looked around, eyes resting on a bench under a streetlight not too far off the path. Danny gestured in front of herself for Laura to settle on it. 

They sat down, the powerful yellow light of the streetlight cast dark shadows across Laura’s face, making her eye sockets prominent and the shadow across her top lip made them look thin and pale rather than the distracting plumpness they usually were. Their elbows and knees knocked together and Danny almost smiled at how sweet, how achingly warming this moment could’ve been if it weren’t for all the maddening context they were tangled up in. _Could’ve been_ , Danny echoed in her head. She shook her head, frowning. The other girl looked at her, searching Danny’s face. Laura shivered slightly, breath misting in front of her face. She opened her mouth to speak, but Danny raised her arm instead, so that Laura could rest her head on her shoulder. Laura immediately moved into the warm space.

“I’m sorry,” Laura mumbled into the crisp night air. Danny cocked an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I know. It's not you that should be apologising though, I guess. Don't think you're off the hook though.” Danny said shortly.

Laura nodded against her shoulder. “I know.”

Nothing was said for a long while; they just sat in the comfort of the other's presence. Danny’s cheek rested on top of Laura’s head, hands brushing together. Laura’s apricot shampoo overwhelmed her senses and Danny resisted the urge to inhale it too deeply.

“She did it to protect me, you know...” was what Laura said after a while, fingertips running up and down the inside of Danny’s forearm, “Saved me from that other vampire. And then she bit me. I don’t know why, maybe to convince her mother that she’s still loyal to her disgusting cause. Also, she only left one bite mark? I think she’s some kind of disabled vampire or something, honestly Danny, I—” Laura was cut off by Danny placing a finger over her mouth. Laura looked up at her and they were both smiling lightly.

“You still find the guts to ramble even after you’ve been bitten by a five hundred year old vampire? Incredible,” Danny said, unable to stop the small smile that overcame her at Laura’s endearing habits.

“Yeah, well. You managed to succumb said vampire with only a black eye to show for it. I’d say that we’re both pretty incredible,” Laura whispered, looking intently into Danny’s eyes.

Danny’s gaze searched Laura’s own for a moment. She raised her hand hesitantly, only proceeding when Laura didn’t move an inch. Danny trailed her fingertips along the side of Laura’s jaw.

“This vampire stuff is getting way too dangerous, Laura. It needs to stop or something, I don't know what to do...” Danny breathed out, rubbing her hand across her eyes at the frustration of the situation. She tried to ignore the fluttering in her stomach at how close and warm Laura was against her side. Danny kept her hand over her eyes, afraid to look again in case she did something stupid like launch herself at the other girl so that she could kiss her face off.

“So you just want to give up on Betty? On Natalie? All of those girls… Look, Danny, I _know_ you would never do that. This is about me being in danger, isn’t it?” Laura’s hand rested on top of Danny’s own, her gaze burning intently into the side of Danny’s face. She looked over at Laura briefly and then down at their hands again. She nodded once.

“Well then I’ll do some seriously intense training! I’ll do archery and voodoo and whatever else you guys do at the Summer Society. You won’t even recognise me afterwards, I’ll have bulging biceps and a six pack and thunder thighs and you won’t have to protec—” _Oh screw restraint._ Danny leant forward, hand resting at the base of Laura’s skull, gazing into Laura's eyes for a long moment before she pressed her lips to the other girl’s. _If I don’t do this now, I might never get the chance again._

Laura blinked in shock twice before she smiled into the kiss and melted into Danny. The exhale of breath she let out across Danny’s cheekbone was shaky. _I caused that_ , she thought in awe. Danny had never felt more alive. Laura’s fingers were tangled in Danny’s fiery hair, twisting it gently around her hand until she found the nape of Danny’s neck. 

Danny broke the kiss so that she could shift Laura into her lap, palms settling at Laura’s waist and the other girl's hands wrapped around the back of her neck again. Laura’s eyes were as dark as tar as she licked her lips briefly before leaning down to mouth at Danny’s jaw briefly before licking into her mouth. Laura drew her thumb back and forth across the skin just above Danny’s shoulder.

They broke apart again and Danny seriously considered suggesting that they run away together. But she knew that Laura will never agree to that. Not when she has set her sight on carrying through with this cause, and Danny completely understands that burning need to take up the fight. She just wished that it was an easier fight for them to win, but when did anything ever work out like that? As she considered all of this, Laura jarred Danny out of her thoughts by moving so that her forehead was resting against her own. Her breathing was still slightly haggard even though they had stopped kissing quite a few moments ago. Danny tried to resist the urge to smirk, but she couldn’t. Laura grinned and giggled briefly before biting her lip again. Danny smiled lightly, palms still steady against the dip of Laura’s waist. She felt as if Laura was her Earth, as if she were the soil beneath her feet, the twinkling stars of the sky, the intense ever reaching rays of the sun.

Danny chose to voice another thought out loud, one that she knew Laura would understand.

“I will _always_ be there for you. Even if you don’t want me to be, even if you want to kick me in the face Kill Bill style,” Danny said in between breaths, “I just want you to be safe. Always. I know that sounds ridiculous and I’m worse than my own mother, but it’s true and Carmilla is really bad news and I…” she trailed off, looking down at the floor.

“Well, cutie, you can say that again,” Laura drawled in her pseudo Carmilla voice. 

She laughed and drew back, tucking Danny’s hair behind her ear, reminding Danny of when she first made an appearance in Laura’s web journal. “I get it Danny, I do. But I need to find out the truth, find those girls and right all this wrong that has been done for centuries. For the good of those girls and for myself and I know I have the best chance of doing that with you,” Laura said. She furrowed her brows, “I mean, with you at my side not with me, I mean—” Danny cut her off with a chaste kiss again.

“Watson, quit being so damn adorable.” Danny tried to grin convincingly up at Laura and it obviously worked because she just buried her face into the crook of Danny’s neck. How was she going to protect Laura as well as everyone else involved? How were they going to survive? The volatile mix of worry and anticipation at what her and Laura had just started made Danny’s stomach toss and turn like choppy ocean waves. 

There was one thing that Danny was sure about and that was that she wasn’t going to back down easily. No way in hell. Especially not when there was the chance that she could have a lifetime full of moments like this with Laura _when_ they win.

Determination had always been an easy thing for Danny anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> This was only meant to be a short one shot but there you go. I've become obsessed with this web series, and I recommend it to anyone who loves lady love and lady friendships and lady everything... I love all the characters so much. I originally planned for this to be Danny/Carmilla/Laura but my Danny/Laura feelings ran away with me. I apologise for the long time lapse in publishing any writing, I promise I have a lot on the way for you guys, including a supernatural/amnesia au Sansa/Margaery fic and of course lots of America/Kate. Thanks for reading everyone, I appreciate all your feedback and support as always.


End file.
